Davenport.



E. G. FISHER. DAVENPORT.

APPLICATION FILED IJE(}. 26, 1911.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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A/fomey COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO" WASHINGTON, D C.

E. O. FISHER.

DAVENPORT.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26, 1911 v 1,043,41 3. Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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EDWARD C. FISHER, OF LINCOLN, ILLINOIS.

DAVENPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 26, 1911.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

Serial No. 667,874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD C. FISHER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, county of Logan, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Davenports, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to davenports and particularly to that class thereof known as folding davenports.

The object of my invention is to provide a davenport having a drop front and a back which are adapted to be extended horizontally in a plane with the seat portion to form a couch and equipped with improved mechanism connecting the drop front and the back whereby the former is automatically operated by raising or lowering the back and whereby the parts shall be positively locked in extended position until the back is raised.

A further object is to provide a folding davenport of such improved construction that the end frame members shall occupy a minimum amount of floor space and in which the base or footing shall be extended to prevent tipping of the device should weight be applied to the edge while in extended position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a folding davenport equipped with auxiliary springs for supporting the seat when used as a davenport and so arranged as not to interfere with the elasticity or spring of the device when used as a couch.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

lVith these objects in view my invent-ion consists generally in a davenport comprising a pair of end members, a seat secured at the ends to said end members, a hingedly mounted back, a hingedly mounted drop front portion and suitable mechanism connecting said back and said drop front whereby raising or lowering of the back shall automatically raise and lower the front and which shall positively lock the parts in extended position until the back is raised.

My invention further consists in a device characterized as above stated in which the mechanism connecting the back and the front is provided with an extension forming a leg which is projected beyond the forward edge of the end frame members as the parts are extended to form a couch, thereby increasing the base or footing of the device, and which is retracted automatically as the back is raised.

My invention further consists in a folding davenport as mentioned in which auxiliary springs are arranged beneath the seat portion and means connected with one of the swinging parts whereby the movement of said part to position to form a davenport shall exert pressure beneath said auxiliary frames and whereby the movement of said part to extended position will relieve said springs of the extra pressure.

My invention further consists in various details of construction and arrangements of parts all as will be fully describedhereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more, readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the frame of a davenport embodying my invention in its preferred form and illustrating the device in position for use as a davenport, Fig. 2 is a section on the line m-w of Fig. 1 illustrating in dotted lines the parts in extended position, Fig. 3 is a plan view with the parts in extended position, and Fig. 1 is a transverse section similar to Fig. 2 taken on the line yy of Fig. 1 with the mechanism connecting the back and drop front omitted for the sake of clearness.

Referring now to the drawings 11 inclicate the end members of the frame which may be of any preferred material or construction and 2-2 longitudinal members connecting the same. Secured to the inner faces of the members 1 are angle bars, to the inwardly extending flanges 4 of which is secured the ordinary spring construct-ion 5 which is indicated conventionally only in Figs. 1 and 4. The ends of the longitudinal members 2 preferably extend through or are secured to the vertical flanges of the members 3 to securely brace apart the members 1 where subjected to the greatest strain and are then arched downwardly as shown for a purpose which will appear hereinafter.

Hingedly connected, preferably to the rear ends of the bars 3, is a back portion 6 and similarly connected, preferably to the front ends of said bars, is a drop front 7. The back 6 is provided with a downwardly projecting extension 8 to the lower end of which, as at 9, is pivotally connected a bar 10. 11 indicates a lever pivotally connected at 12 beneath the seat and at 13 to the bar 10, supporting the latter and giving the same a particular motion as will be presently described. A bar 14L is pivotally connected to the bar 10, preferably at 13, and to the frame of the drop front 7 as at 15,

above the pivot points 9 and 13. The bar 10 is extended forwardly as at 16 and terminates behind the drop front 7 when the lat ter is lowered. As the back is lowered into the posit-ion shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the pivot point 9 is raised and the pivot point 13 is swung outwardly but only slightly raised. This causes the bar 10 to be projected forwardly and inclined downwardly so that its end 16 extends considerably beyond the front of the frame members 1 and into close proximity to the floor thereby extending the footing to prevent tilting of the device should any one sit upon the portion 7 while extended. This forward motion of the pivot point 13 pushes the bar 14: forwardly thereby raising the portion 7. The operation is reversed upon raising the back. It should be noted that as the back is lowered the pivot point 9 passes beyond the line connecting the pivot 13 and the hinge 6 of the back so that any force tending to lower the portion 7 will tend to raise the pivot point 9 and as this point must be lowered to fold the device it is obvious that it is positively locked against collapsing. The extension 8 is off-set as at 17 to pass under the adjacent frame member 2 and is provided at its end with an angularly disposed end 18 which engages under the flange 4 when the back is lowered or extended.

Arranged beneath the spring construction 5 of the seat are auxiliary springs 19. These are preferably of spiral form and are preferably secured at their upper ends to the construction 5. Their lower ends are connected by a frame 20. Secured to the forward frame member 2 are a plurality of straps or bands 21 which pass under the frame 20 and the rear member 2 and have their opposite ends secured to the back frame 6. As the back is raised the straps 21 are drawn tightly beneath the frame 20 thereby exerting an upward pressure upon the springs 19 to reinforce the seat when the device is used as a davenport. When the back is lowered so as to use the device as a couch the straps 21 are slackened thereby relieving the pressure under the springs 19 and giving the spring construction 5 its normal resiliency.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the class described, a pair of end members and a seat frame connecting the same, a back hingedly mounted back of said seat and a drop front hingedly mounted at the front edge thereof, in combination with mechanism connecting said back and drop front whereby as said back is raised or lowered said front will be lowered or raised, said mechanism being arranged to positively lock the parts in extended position except when said back is raised, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, a pair of end members and a seat frame connecting the same, a back hingedly mounted at the rear edge of said seat, a drop frame hingedly mounted at the front edge thereof, a downwardly extending arm'on saidback frame, a forwardly extending bar pivotally connected to said arm, a lever pivotally connected at one end to said bar and pivotally connected at the other end beneath said seat, a link connecting said bar and said drop front and a forward extension on said bar, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, a pair of end members, a seat connecting said members, a hingedly mounted back and hingedly mounted drop front, in combination with mechanism connecting said back and said front whereby said back and front are folded or extended simultaneously and means included in. said mechanism adapted to be projected beyond the front of said end members in close proximity to the floor when said back and front are extended, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the class described, a seat frame and ahingedly mounted back frame each provided with spring construction, auxiliary springs arranged beneath the spring construction of the seat and means whereby as said back is raised pressure is exerted beneath said auxiliary springs and thereby as the back is lowered said pressure is relieved, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, a pair of longitudinal frame bars, a seat arranged above said bars and provided with spring construction, a back hingedly mounted adjacent the rear edge of said seat, a plurality of spiral springs arranged beneath and depending from said spring construction a frame connecting the lower ends of name to this specification in the presence of said springs and normally in a plane below two subscribing Witnesses.

said bars and a strap secured to the for- Ward fraine bar and extending under the EDWARD FISHER 5 last said frame and connected to said back, Witnesses:

substantially as described. E. G. KING,

In testimony whereof I have signed my J. E. MILLER.

Q Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing, the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

